Farm to fork or seed to table, are such wonderful reminders of the significance of mindful eating. Through the present-day momentum of eat and buy local platforms, we’re challenging the industrial food chain and its far-reaching environmental, social and economic impacts.
Not to be overlooked is the equally essential role of holistic food production for the health of our communities. Here, consumer purchasing power and sustainable farming practices like organic agriculture unite to protect soil health, biodiversity, place-based food knowledge, and our bodies.
“Soil is one of the most under-appreciated natural resources and yet it’s feeding us with few exceptions,” says Jordan Marr a certified organic farmer at The Homestead Organic Farm (you’ll often find The Homestead’s greens in our stores in Kelowna and Westbank). “Maintenance of soil health and fertility is the first consideration of organic farming.”
The statistics show that British Columbians are getting behind sustainable farming practices. The Canadian Organic Trade Association’s 2014 report indicates 66 percent of us are buying organic groceries on a weekly basis. Consumer support that is so important to our organic farmer friends and neighbors who are quite literally paying a price to grow good food, for us.
“It’s about our children’s future,” says Neil Sproule, a second generation BC farmer who with his wife Jacqui converted their operation from conventional to organic production in 1994. “But there are financial implications to growing organically, our inputs simply require more time and money than conventional means.”
The Sproule’s 22-acre farm produces approximately 4000, 20-pound boxes of organic cherries at harvest. Now, for a moment imagine the knowledge and labor intensive process of applying by hand, to the bark of each tree, a certified organic approved molasses-like substance to keep the fruit flies from spoiling the crop. Sproule estimates it costs about $50 per acre every five to seven days, versus conventional farming practice (spraying with pesticides) at only about $10 per acre every 20 days.
“Conventional growers also boost their trees with chemicals. Those run at a fraction of our costs to support the nitrogen needs of our trees by composting and applying manure on a regular basis,” says Sproule. “This year we had 1000 young trees that we’ll have to weed about five times, a conventional farmer would have sprayed them with Roundup, once.” (check out our blog on Roundup here)
Despite all the extra effort, the Sproule’s wouldn’t change a thing.
“Before we farmed organically we used to close up the kids and the house to spray. Now, our grandkids run through the trees, and we sleep outside on the property May through September. It’s one living breathing system, of which we are a part.”
Indeed, it is one living breathing system, and our choices, no matter what role we play as growers, processors, distributors or eaters do make a difference.
